


Like a Sleepover

by Shoulderpads



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Confessions, Greed is kinda there, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, i guess?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-11
Updated: 2018-06-11
Packaged: 2019-05-20 23:42:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14904404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shoulderpads/pseuds/Shoulderpads
Summary: "Think of it as a sleepover, we can braid each other's hair and talk about cute boys."Except it's not a sleepover. It's hiding out from the military and being possessed, but that doesn't mean it can't be soft.





	Like a Sleepover

**Author's Note:**

> First edling fic, bay-be! I got a sudden burst of inspiration and it's 8 am, and I haven't slept but these boys are so soft, they deserve this.

"Think of it as a sleep over, we can braid each other's hair and talk about cute boys," the fire lit Ling's soft smile in warm hues. 

"Oh yeah? Is that what you do at sleepovers?" Ed asked with a snort. 

"I've never been to one actually," the prince's tired eyes didn't leave the flames, turning his irises to rubies. 

"Well they don't take place in a forest first of all, that's camping."

"Never been camping before this either, unless you count crossing a desert."

Ed held his chin. He remembered staying over at Winry's more times than he could count and the handful of times he and Al stayed over at a friend from school's house. He thought about the time Hohenheim took the brothers camping before he left and the times his mom set up backyard camping nights, "Why not?"

Ling looked over then and air quoted with one hand, "'Too dangerous.' What if that kid I was building an innocent friendship with was actually trying to get close to me to assassinate me?" He rolled his eyes, "I didn't have many friends back home anyway. I was always too busy with schooling or training, and I wasn't really allowed to go far anyway," a mischievous grin broke across his lips, "but I can be quite sneaky especially when it comes to pursuing market place cuisine."

Ed laughed. Of course Ling would sneak out for vendor food, "So no sleepovers or camping trips at all."

Ling shook his head, "None whatsoever, and I don't think this first experience with camping is giving it a good name."

"Well that won't do, I'll braid your hair and talk about cute boys if you want," Ed beckoned Ling towards him and the other boy complied, scooting towards Ed and straddling the log with his back turned. 

Ed pulled the ribbon out of Ling's hair and handed it to him as black hair fell like a waterfall of ink. Running his fingers through Ling's hair to smooth it out left Ed surprised at the feeling, "You're hair is surprisingly soft for someone who has been wandering aimlessly and trudging through the forest."

Ling shrugged, "Must be the royal blood," he laughed, "or the shockingly fancy shampoo Father keeps."

"And not a split end in sight," Ed commented as he separated the hair into three parts, "I wish that were me."

"I used to have split ends here and there, but I guess not even my hair can take damage now," Ling played mindless with his bangs.

"Wow," Ed began to braid the hair at the pair lapsed into a comfortable silence. He had to pull his right hand away from his work now and then to thread strands out of his joints, but his left very much enjoyed the silkiness of Ling's long hair. He'd never tell Winry, but not even her hair was as soft. 

About halfway down, Ed remembered Ling's previous words, "Oh yeah, you wanted to talk about cute boys right?"

Ling waved a hand dismissively, "You can talk about girls if you want."

"No, I can talk about boys."

"Ok, I'll start. I like this boy, but I don't know if he likes me back."

"That tough."

"Yeah, and he's really cool. He's very goal oriented, but with a good selfless heart. He'd never let anyone get hurt over said goals."

"Sounds like a great guy."

"Totally, I don't think he knows he's a great guy though. He kicks butt too, which is something I'm very attracted to. He's a little rough around the edges, but-"

"Hair tie," Ed interrupted with an open hand.

"Oh," Ling pressed the ribbon in Ed's palm, "But tarnished gold, is still gold. And he's very handsome."

Ed almost lost his grip on Ling's hair when he jolted forward, "I am not being sappy!" Ling crossed his arms, "He is too handsome! What do you know?" He threw up his arms, "Oh, _I_ have bad taste? Whatever." He sank back down and Ed laughed at the display while tying off the braid. 

"And done!"

Ling turned to face Ed and pulled the braid over his shoulder, "Its great, I love it!" he ran his hand down the rope. 

Ed beamed, "I'm the best braider there is."

"I can attest to that."

"So tell me more about the mystery boy," Ed leaned forward with his elbows on the log in front of him and his chin in his hands. 

Ling twirled the loose hair at he bottom of his hair and blushed, "Well, he's got these traits we value in Xing. Very rare, so rare, I doubted it existed, and I don't think anyone would believe me if I said I met someone with them."

"Oh?" Ed asked curiously, "What kind of traits?"

A sudden confidence seemed to come over Ling and he leaned forward to mirror Ed's with an expression akin to someone laying winning cards on the table, "Gold hair and eyes," he smirked. 

Ed leaned back, "O-oh...you don't say?" He could feel his face heat up, "Well I think I'm gonna take my t-turn now," he rubbed the back of his neck, "I think I might like this guy, which is strange because I didn't think I liked boys until I met him, but I-I don't really remember liking any girls besides Winry, and now I think maybe I tried to force myself to like her like that because I thought I was supposed to, and I think I couldn't stand this boy at first because I was confused...but he has given me many reasons not to like him like treating my wallet as our wallet. He's also kind of annoying and a reckless dumbass who bites off more than he can chew, but he's beautiful, and fun, and clever, with a big, open heart, and I'd never leave him behind."

"That so?" Ling had his eyes closed with his dopey smile. 

"Yeah. And it sucks that he's so ambitious because I don't get to talk to him much even when he's right there, and it's silly because I know it'll never work out, someday he'll figure out how to work with what he's bitten off and go far away, and I could never ask him to stay because what he wants is something more far important than what I do, and we're not even a thing."

Ling's eyes slid open, his face serious, "But we could be, and you could come with me," he whispered, reaching his hand forward.

Ed reached up to fiddle with his own braid, "I just...Promised Day is coming soon, and how can this work out when we're fugitives on the run, and you aren't even _you_ half the time, and I got get Al and I's bodies back, and you have to be emperor, and how can I date someone when Al can't even sleep? I...I don't deserve that kind of happiness, not with what I've done," when Ed cut off, he was staring ahead and his hands shook. 

Ling had sat up, and his own hands hovered awkwardly, not quite sure what to as he watched the insecurities and guilt spill from Ed's mouth. 

_Holy shit._

Ling frowned and glared to the side, _Can you shut up for like two seconds?_

 _I've shut up most of the night! Don't forget, I'm_ letting _you have this night._

Ling balled and shook his fists briefly before turning back to Ed. He took a deep breath and wove his left hand into Ed's flesh one. His hand was warm and rough with callouses but so were Ling's. 

Ed blinked and looked down at their joined hands, "I..."

"Do you really think I'm annoying?"

Ed's face shifted to a scowl, "Yes! What with your goofy smile and eating habits. This automail better not break, because I'm not sure I can pay for repairs with the way you eat!"

Ling laughed, "You know, you called me clever and a dumbass only sentences apart. I don't think that makes sense."

"Yeah, well calling someone like me selfless doesn't make sense either."

"You could have left me, you know," he became serious again, "Carrying me like that only slowed you down and sapped your energy, but you didn't. If you collapsed too and we drowned in blood or starved to death, you wouldn't have regretted picking me up. I'd have called you and idiot, and you would've told me to shut up. You'd die for your brother, you'd throw away everything for him without hesitation. You'd do the same for Winry, in a heartbeat. I've heard stories about you whispered around, about how you've gone out of your way to help others. I heard a tale of you handing power over a town that you could've bled dry." 

Ed was quiet for a moment, "You really think I'm a great guy?"

Ling squeezed his hand, "Without question." 

"You really think this could work out?"

Ling brought the back of Ed's hand to his lips and left a soft kiss there that sent jolts up Ed's arm, "I'm willing to find out, after all, I do bite off more than I can chew," he winked.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Come chat with me on tumblr at Shoulderpads-mcgee2 !
> 
> Feedback cleans my skin and waters my crops!


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